TT Police arrests nurse & two others over alleged selling of COVID-19 vaccination cards

Trinidad and Tobago: The police have arrested a nurse and two clerical officers for allegedly selling COVID-19 vaccination cards at a price of $3,000 each. The nurse and two medical staffs were from Fyzabad District Health Facility. Police arrested a total of six people.

The arrests were the result of two sting operations performed by the combined team of police officers from the Special Investigations Unit, Fraud Squad and the Northern Police Division.

A statement was released by the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) on Wednesday. The statement read that the police service would continue to nab such conspiracies.

A statement from the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) yesterday said the service is continuing to crack down on the conspi­racy to illegally issue false Covid-19 vaccination cards, with six people in total arrested for fraud.

The investigation started after the police team carried out the first exercise at the health centre and suspected a nurse who pretended to administer the vaccine to a person. Later, the police found two clerical officers who issued a vaccination card to an individual in exchange for the fee.

After the suspicion, the under-cover officer arrested the nurse and two clerical staff members. The police also arrested the cash and fake card. Reportedly, one of the detained has been tested positive for COVID-19. Police have made special arrangements to ensure the safety and welfare of the positive suspect.

Another sting operation was conducted by the officers at the Northern Division, where the clerk, associated with the North-Central Regional Health Authority (NCRHA), was caught receiving cash and handing over a vaccination certificate.

The suspect has been arrested, and the sum of cash as well as vaccination card have been seized.

The investigation in the matter is still on, and the accused have been kept at the Fraud Squad Division in Port of Spain.